James & David WangRocky Hill High School

Photos Courtesy of David (left) & James (right) Wang

Most siblings compete against each other, but the Rocky Hill High School co-valedictorians, twins James and David Wang, specifically planned to receive exactly the same GPA. "We wanted to take the same classes and we helped each other achieve the same grades, we helped each other study and it ended up working out," David said. "We also wanted to see how well we could do when we pitted ourselves against our challenging schedule. We were curious to see how rigorous of an education we could handle." The twins, known as "Wang squared" to their peers, ran cross-country, started a Chinese club, and performed in talent shows together. They both learned how to dance when they were bored one summer they spent in China with their family. "When we got back to the U.S. we didn't have time to go to a specific studio to actually learn how to dance, so we went on YouTube and searched all these tutorials," David said. David now teaches hip hop dance at Backbeat City in Glastonbury, and James likes to perform spoken-word poetry. The twins said applying to college was difficult because their parents immigrated from China and didn't know much about American colleges. David will study finance and economics at the New York University business school, and James will study philosophy, politics and economics at Pennsylvania State University. It will be the first time they haven't shared a room. "I think we both do want to hold on to the comfort and support that a brother and a twin can offer, but at the same time we're ready to deal with independence and see what it's like for the first time in our lives," James said. --Nicole Perez

Most siblings compete against each other, but the Rocky Hill High School co-valedictorians, twins James and David Wang, specifically planned to receive exactly the same GPA. "We wanted to take the same classes and we helped each other achieve the same grades, we helped each other study and it ended up working out," David said. "We also wanted to see how well we could do when we pitted ourselves against our challenging schedule. We were curious to see how rigorous of an education we could handle." The twins, known as "Wang squared" to their peers, ran cross-country, started a Chinese club, and performed in talent shows together. They both learned how to dance when they were bored one summer they spent in China with their family. "When we got back to the U.S. we didn't have time to go to a specific studio to actually learn how to dance, so we went on YouTube and searched all these tutorials," David said. David now teaches hip hop dance at Backbeat City in Glastonbury, and James likes to perform spoken-word poetry. The twins said applying to college was difficult because their parents immigrated from China and didn't know much about American colleges. David will study finance and economics at the New York University business school, and James will study philosophy, politics and economics at Pennsylvania State University. It will be the first time they haven't shared a room. "I think we both do want to hold on to the comfort and support that a brother and a twin can offer, but at the same time we're ready to deal with independence and see what it's like for the first time in our lives," James said. --Nicole Perez